


Five Ways To Propose To A Tiger

by Lady_Mischievous



Category: Tiger & Bunny
Genre: Alternate Timelines, Developing Relationship, F/M, Implied Relationships, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Multi, Prompt Fic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-11-20
Updated: 2012-12-17
Packaged: 2017-11-19 03:25:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,570
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/568552
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_Mischievous/pseuds/Lady_Mischievous
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A mini series of five different stories of five different realities where five different people all propose to one man. </p><p>Story 4 is now available.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Karina Lyle

It all started innocently enough. It was a friendship, just a friendship if you asked Kotetsu. There were no ulterior motives involved at all. They enjoyed talking after Karina performed and sang for the crowds, and Kotetsu served as a nice deterrent for some of the more unsavory types that would make eyes at the lovely young singer. So every now and then Kotetsu caught her shows, they talked, and shared drinks. It was nice, it was comfortable, and it was, for the most part, safe, in Kotetsu's mind. 

Then eventually they started hanging out more often and beyond just the bar where the young blonde song bird would sing. As Karina entered her twenties and college she and Kotetsu slowly gained more in common to talk about. Karina was obviously entering the uncertain and often bitter world of adults and would ask Kotetsu for an opinion or two. He didn't always have the answers or ones that she wanted to hear, but they both ended up walking away from such conversations with more than they walked in with. 

As much as Kotetsu tried to ignore it, as much as he tried to remind himself just who he was looking at, the man had to admit that Karina had grown up into a very beautiful woman. Along with age came new experience and confidence, she wasn't the same seventeen year old that would act weird or completely flustered at the strangest times. Karina was actually rather sweet under the tough front she would put up to guard herself, but still stern when she had to be. 

Kotetsu started to find it becoming harder to ignore that he was starting to find Karina attractive. He kept telling himself that she was a kid, but sometimes all it took was a rare subtle flirtatious comment or just the way she carried herself. He was reminded that she was a woman, a young strong woman, much like how Tomoe was.

Kotetsu tried to put some distance between them, Karina shouldn't be interested in an older man, but still she pursued him undeterred. One thing led to another, and eventually they started a casual relationship. It had to be casual, Kotetsu didn't want to be too invested, and he didn't want Karina to be too attached to a mistake she'd probably regret. 

However Karina was smart, affectionate, and was tough on him when he needed some common sense knocked into him. Kotetsu refused to admit that he could have been falling for the girl. And yet they carried on with their casual relationship, gradually getting closer.

"Kotetsu, what is it like to get married?" Karina asked him one day while they were having lunch together. 

Kotetsu paused from eating; it took a second for the question to fully sink in. He looked at his wedding ring as he thought about an answer. "It's tough; it's not like how you see it in movies or on TV." Kotetsu began. "There are a lot of problems that you would have to deal with, financials, juggling work with your home life, raising kids, sometimes even just dealing with your own spouse. It's no fairytale; it's a lot of work and compromise."

Karina was quiet, taking in and thinking over what she was hearing.

"But there's a lot of good that can come from it too, you are with someone that you love, and if you can manage to get over the hardships it makes all the more beautiful parts of marriage that much more rewarding." Kotetsu explained. There was a fond smile on his face as he looked at his wedding ring, thinking back on the ups and downs of his marriage to Tomoe.

"Thank you for being honest with me..." Karina said with a slight smile.

Kotetsu knew he should have just let the conversation die right then and there. But he had a feeling that there had to be a reason why she had brought up the subject to begin with. "Is there someone you have your sights set on?" He said with a sly tone. "Some young handsome guy that you've become smitten with?" The last part was said more in jest, but it was something Kotetsu was hoping would happen for Karina. She was too good to be hanging around older men.

"I think you already know." Karina's smile turned impish, causing Kotetsu's heart to pound a little faster.

Kotetsu hoped that his tanned complexion would hide the blush that was undoubtedly taking hold of his face. He then cleared his throat and tried to find something else to focus his eyes on. He knew that if he kept looking Karina in the eye she'd have him trapped under whatever spell it was that she had him under.

"So, hypothetically, say if I were to propose to someone, how do you think it would go?" Karina asked

"Hypothetically speaking? Hmm..." Kotetsu seemed to think it over for a moment. "I'd say that someone should hope that you would finish college first."

The both of them were quiet for a moment, Kotetsu glanced at Karina and when the two locked eyes, they couldn't help but laugh.

-The End-


	2. Agnes Joubert

"Wait, what?" Kotetsu said with a blink. "What did you say?"

"Listen to me will you? Do you want me to spell it out for you?" Agnes said, after which she then took a sip of her drink. "Mother's been asking me when we're planning on marriage, I've been thinking about it and I was thinking maybe we don't have to keep "playing pretend" anymore." 

Kotetsu was left speechless; he searched for words to say, but his mind went blank on him. He really had no idea just how this odd relationship between him and Agnes even started. It was just supposed to be an act for three weeks while Agnes' parents were visiting Sternbild. The problem arose not too long after Kotetsu had returned from retirement, Agnes had come to him with what she at first said was a special "hero mission" just for him. 

Apparently her parents were coming to Sternbild to visit her for their vacation. Agnes needed someone to pose as her boyfriend; her last one broke up with her a few weeks before. This left Agnes in an odd predicament; her siblings were already married or had their own boyfriends and girlfriends. She was the oldest of them and was most of the time married to her work and had a few failed relationships under her belt. This caused for a lot of concern from parents, much to Agnes' dismay. They would offer to set her up with people from their home town or would "conveniently" mention that she was single and looking to all the wrong people. 

Agnes needed someone that she felt that her parents would like; someone friendly and that would make good parent material. However, Kotetsu was really the best she could get on such short notice. He was a father, so he had the fatherly aspect that her parents would like at least. But Kotetsu told her "no" point blank. So it took a lot of arm twisting on Agnes' part to get the veteran hero to finally agree, at one point the arm twisting even became quite literal.

Agnes might have been a terrifying woman, but at least her parents were nice enough. Though they seemed more than a bit unsure about Kotetsu at first; but they eventually started to warm up to him when they found that he and Agnes' father shared a similar sense of humor. After breaking the ice things surprisingly went pretty smoothly. It amazed Kotetsu as he wondered just how such friendly people gave birth to a woman as fiery and driven as Agnes. 

Apparently the Joubert family owned a horse ranch and taught riding lessons in the country side. Agnes' parents had plenty of stories of their "ambitious little princess" and plenty of pictures from when she was a lanky middle schooler feeding and riding horses to her years in high school, where she showed interest in business, super heroes, and media. It was actually really interesting seeing Agnes' softer side, around her parents she proved to be a real lady. Kotetsu ended up gaining more respect for the ruthless woman after seeing that she was more human than she let on. Of course, when they were alone she would warn him that if he were to mention any of what he had heard or saw to any of the other heroes or anyone else she would ruin him publicity wise. And then Kotetsu would remember just why the woman was so damn scary to begin with.

Finally the three weeks were up and her parents' visit was over, Agnes and Kotetsu saw them off as they left the city on a train. At last the two could get back to their normal lives. If only things actually worked out that way, apparently their act was a little too good. Agnes' parents were so happy for their daughter that they told the rest of the Joubert family that she had found a "fixer upper", but a nice guy over all. Calls came in to Agnes, wanting to meet her boyfriend, and Kotetsu ended up having to play the part again.

Their little charade ended up lasting for a little over two years so far. Somehow along the way a relationship between the two of them really seemed to slowly blossom. Though neither would admit it, the both of them still insisted that it was all just another part of them playing pretend. But there were a few times they had some pretty close calls where their pretend relationship almost crossed the line into a real one. And as time went, these instances slowly started happening more frequently.

And now here they were, pretend girlfriend and pretend boyfriend being faced with the prospect of a real marriage.

"Just think about it..." Agnes said thoughtfully, there was a familiar twinkle in her eye. "A wedding with me will get amazing ratings!"

Kotetsu shook his head and then gave a long, deep sigh. "Yup, you never change Agnes."

-The End-


	3. Nathan Seymour

Nathan was the type that really enjoyed playfully teasing and pushing the buttons of the other men at their work. They took pleasure in Antonio's hilarious reactions, how flustered Ivan would get, and Keith's misunderstandings were cute and funny. Nathan was used to having their advances rejected or shrugged off, but there was that one night where they flirted with Tiger that somehow eventually led to the position they was in today. It was night, and Nathan was driving Kotetsu home after an incident at the local prison. There were crimes that were being done by what everyone thought was a fire powered next, which meant Nathan was at the top of the list of suspects. Luckily for them, their name was struck off that list when there was an attack on prisoners that matched the same kind of fire in the crimes before.

It wasn't all good news though, one of the prisoners did end up dying. Kotetsu who was a good little guinea pig in helping clear Nathan's name, tried his best to save the criminal that was set ablaze in the eerie blue flames. In the end they still died in the man's arms. Nathan decided to drive Kotetsu home. They figured the man wasn't in any state to drive home on his own. It was much later that Nathan's suspicions were confirmed that Kotetsu was no stranger to death but was surprised to find that ring was more than a simple piece of jewelry. Nathan never expected Kotetsu to already be married. Sure, they would have thought it'd be possible once that man slowed down some; but it brought the thought that maybe there was a little more to Wild Tiger than a man that wanted to simply be a hero.

Nathan remembered his offer that night to Kotetsu.

"Say, want me to sleep next to you tonight?"

"What?" Kotetsu said as he looked back.

"I'll keep you company." Nathan said with a smile, waiting for Kotetsu to comically reject their offer.

Kotetsu however calmly laughed and smiled. "I'll probably get aches from using your arm as a pillow."

Nathan couldn't help but find him a little charming right then. Kotetsu was a handsome man and when he was calm and he could actually be a bit sweet. Though he was  still a little rough around the edges. "Aww, don't come crying to me later!"

Of course soon after that all hell broke loose and Nathan had completely forgotten the cute moment between them. Until earlier this year, not too long after Kotetsu had returned to Sternbild. Nathan was one of the first to find out Kotetsu had returned to the city; finding him in, of all places, the hero bar. It was a real surprise, Kotetsu was just there, not telling anyone that he'd come back. But then again, he left just as suddenly too, not too long after he announced his retirement. Just disappearing one day without a word; only finding out that he had moved when Antonio swung by his apartment and found that it was empty. It didn't surprise Antonio much, saying that was just how Kotetsu was. Never wanting to make a scene with such things but causing one anyway when all the heroes were saddened when they didn't get a chance to say goodbye.

Nathan was torn between wanting to give Kotetsu a big hug or wanting to give him a good slap for leaving so suddenly without a goodbye. As Nathan got closer to the man they realized Kotetsu had fallen asleep at the bar counter. At first, Nathan tried speaking into Kotetsu's ear, when that didn't work they then tried to shake him, and when that didn't work they then reached down and gave Kotetsu's ass a nice hard pinch. The veteran hero suddenly yelped and fell right out of his chair, landing on the floor in a crumpled heap.

After the hellos, a hug, and then the well deserved slap and scolding the two finally sat down and shared a drink together. Nathan and Kotetsu went on to talk about Kotetsu's recent move back to the city and him joining the B team hero league. They went on to talk about other things as well, like how things were back at Oriental Town, Kotetsu's worries after his retirement, some of the frustrations that came with it. Eventually how it all ended up with him returning to Sternbild to do pretty much all he knew how to do in terms of a career.

It was a conversation that was full of good laughs, a little bitterness, and some hopes for a better future. As it got later, Nathan made the same offer like they did on that night about two years before. They expected their offer to be rejected; instead they were surprised with Kotetsu actually accepting it.

Nathan had found that Kotetsu liked to cuddle up to things in his sleep. Remembering that the man was once married, it was probably something that he had missed from the days he had shared with his wife. There was a charm to it that was bitter sweet, Kotetsu could be a little cute when his defenses were down, but with such defenses he was probably a lonely man.

The next morning Kotetsu woke up to Nathan running their fingers through his hair. It took a little time for Kotetsu break through the fuzziness of sleep and the alcohol from the night before; but when he remembered how he got there he apologized to Nathan for making such a scene. Nathan pressed a finger to the man's lips and chided him for being silly. The two continued to spend a good part of morning in Nathan's bed, talking and enjoying the company, after that they shared breakfast, and Nathan got Kotetsu a ride home.

It could have just ended there, maybe it should have, but it didn't. The two continued to meet now and then, enjoying each other's company whether it was to be silly together or to talk about the more difficult things in the life of adults. Nathan had to hand it to Kotetsu that he was a decent listener and pretty genuine when it came to wanting to help, whether it was trying to give some sort of advice or just listening. It became easier for the two to open up to each other, maybe that was why things eventually got to where there were now. Still accepting each other's offers to keep each other company on some of those nights where they felt particularly lonely.

Nathan was lying in bed, scratching the head of a Wild Tiger that was cuddled up to them in his sleep. They knew very well that they might be acting a little selfishly. Nathan was aware of Barnaby Brooks Jr.'s confused feelings for his partner, feelings the handsome blond wasn't sure on how to act on or if he even should act on them at all. Nathan doubted that Brooks was even aware of their and Kotetsu's little arrangement. If it was one thing you had to hand to Kotetsu, it was how he seemed to have a skill for keeping his life private, even from someone as astute as Barnaby. And then there was Karina, who also had her feelings for the veteran hero.

It'd break their hearts if they knew that Nathan was considering swooping in like a hawk and plucking Kotetsu up out of both their reach. That they had been making very subtle offers to Kotetsu; hints, that while at first the veteran seems oblivious to them, there is a certain look in those lovely amber eyes of his that shows that he knew what Nathan was talking about. That Nathan just might be working their way past Kotetsu's defenses again.

Maybe it was selfish, but Nathan had a right to be a little selfish now and then too, didn't they?

-The End-


	4. Antonio Lopez

Antonio always hated getting his ass groped by Nathan; that was no secret. However, these days he could understand why the man would do it, it was fun. Antonio snuck into the kitchen as quietly as he could, sneaking up on Kotetsu, who had offered to cook breakfast that day. As he crept closer he reached out to give the man's rear a pinch.

"Don't even think about it." Kotetsu suddenly said in a flat tone as he held up a spatula in a mild threat. He was a little too used to Antonio's antics these days. Kotetsu gained a satisfied smirk when he heard his old friend mutter a quiet "damn it", he then returned his attention to cooking. 

"It's getting harder to surprise you." Antonio said with a small laugh. 

"You're just getting too predictable." Kotetsu said with a small smile. "Oh, by the way, who is going to be driving Ka-AH!" Kotetsu jumped when he felt a sudden pinch; he almost flipped the frying pan he had in hand on reflex. "Geeze! Not when I'm cooking, Bison!" Kotetsu snapped. 

Antonio laughed and went to start making some coffee. 

Kotetsu and Antonio started living together when Kotetsu came back from his short lived retirement from the hero business. With his old apartment rented out and other prospects a little too expensive at the time he opted to room with someone until he got on his feet. Barnaby offered to give Kotetsu a roof over his head, but the lack of furniture and the amount of rules and conditions Barnaby had attached to the deal served as a pretty good deterrent to that option. Luckily Antonio offered Kotetsu to stay at his apartment for a little while, and that's how it all began.

At first the two were expecting that they wouldn't be able to stand living together for long, while they were close friends they were still both stubborn and sometimes a bit competitive. And it was a bumpy start at first, both nitpicking at things the other did, for Antonio it was making sure Kotetsu cleaned up his messes and helped keep the place clean and for Kotetsu it was Antonio's nagging. It didn't seem like it was going to last that long, but the two held out, they both started to work on their own bad habits and eventually they eventually became more used to having to share a living space. This was a tough challenge to get over, especially since both were used to living alone for so long. 

For Kotetsu, the passing of his wife made him keep people at a distance. He didn't want people to know how he felt or the troubles that were going on in his personal life. They were his problems, his issues that he had to get over; he didn't want people worrying about him, trying to pry, or help. It was ironic given his own habits of doing just that to others, whether it was out of his instincts as a parent or how he saw his duty as a hero.

For Antonio he had spent a lot of his life surrounded by people, family mostly, being one of the oldest of his siblings he had to help out around the house. Antonio had to help look after his siblings, helped with things such as sewing tears in clothing or damaged plush toys, and other chores around the house. Antonio also had to balance that out with the tough guy image he had outside his home and the leader of a gang of delinquents. When Antonio moved out to Sternbild he had the freedom of living on his own and having his own personal space. There were times that having such space and being so far from home wasn't so great though, especially when his awkwardness around women and his tough appearance would make things a little harder on him to meet someone special. It was lonely; Antonio did miss sharing a home with someone.

While there were problems there were also some benefits to their arrangement. One being that rent and utilities were more manageable when you were able split it to with a roommate. Another being that even though neither would admit it, they both actually found it nice to have someone to come home to.

Time continued to pass and while Kotetsu did at first look for another apartment the two were growing more comfortable with living with company. They were familiar with each other given their long history of knowing each other and often getting into trouble together. As they worked past their differences they had experiences, stories, or just some common ground that made it easier for them to connect and eventually work things out after an argument or a disagreement.

Just how or when things started to become deeper than that, neither of them really knew. It just slowly happened; they slowly got closer, and even got curious. Maybe they were playing up on old curiosities that they had pushed away and hid from their teenage years. As that was the time where these curiosities first surfaced, but both men were too afraid to ever act upon, and promptly tried to bury such urges. At that time they were afraid of judgment from people like their families, as such things were considered taboo. Today, especially as adults, no one really cared what people would do in the privacy of their own home. While there was still a little of that fear of judgment, they decided to go ahead and act on their feelings anyway. Eventually they found themselves where they were now, in a place that was still best friends, but also something more than that.

"You get to fix dinner tonight..." Kotetsu mentioned as he started dishing out breakfast. He suddenly blushed and shivered when he felt Antonio playfully grope his ass again. Kotetsu then promptly turned around punched Antonio in the arm. "Knock it off you dumb cow!"

"Make me." Antonio playfully challenged him with a smirk. 

Kotetsu reached out, grabbed a few hairs on the tuft of fur Antonio always seemed to show off on his chest, and plucked them.

"Ouch! Okay, okay! I'll stop!" Antonio said as he shrank away and backed off.

Kotetsu smiled and held up his hand in a peace sign. "Victory!" he said with a laugh. 

"Dads!" yelled a voice from the hall, the owner of it heading for the kitchen.

Both Kotetsu and Antonio went a little red in the face as they looked back at the source of the voice as they arrived. Both men feeling a little foolish as they saw standing in the entrance of the kitchen a fourteen year old Kaede all dressed and ready for school, with her hands on her hips, and pouting disapprovingly.

"Dads, stop fighting! I don't want to be late for school!" Kaede said as she made her way to the table to have some breakfast. Normally, she'd call Antonio "Uncle Tonio", but there was the occasion now and then where Kaede would refer to both Kotetsu and Antonio as "Dad" when they were all together.

Kaede showed no sign of thinking of how close Uncle Tonio and her Dad was weird. She only was uneasy about it once when she stayed with them over a summer a couple years ago, as they started the process of having her move in with them in the city. It did upset her a little bit, but not for the fact that her father was very close to his best friend, but the idea that her dad might have been forgetting her mom. Kaede's fears were put at ease though; she learned that Uncle Tonio also knew her mother and that the three of them were close friends. Antonio was able to share some stories of Kaede's mother that she had never heard before. It comforted Kaede, knowing that her mom was a special person to the both of them and hearing that she was so much like her.

"Who's going to take Kaede to school today?" Kotetsu asked while he went to join Kaede at the table. "Bunny and me have a publicity thing pretty soon, I might not get there on time."

"I could, sure, but I'd be cutting it close too; Kronos Foods wants me to be there for an opening for their new "super store of the future" today." Antonio explained as he took he seat and started to eat.

Kaede then came up with her own solution. "I could ask Tommy Perkins to drive me..." she asked with the slightest bit of slyness.

"Tommy Perkins?" Kotetsu paused and thought it over. "Isn't that the kid that can sprout multiple arms?"

Antonio suddenly choked on his coffee. "What?! That kid?!"

"NO." Both men said firmly.

"I'll take her to school." Antonio said as he took another sip of his coffee. 

"Dads! You both worry too much! I'm not a little kid!" Kaede said as she pouted again. Despite how disappointed she acted, part of her was actually happy. Maybe their family wasn't exactly what some would call typical, but Kaede Kaburagi had a pair of good dads that cared. What more could she ask for?

-The End-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> While there might not have been an outright proposal, I tried to hint that it was just something that happened over time. I had a hard time picturing Antonio as the type to propose. I hope that you liked this chapter though!


End file.
